Kalinago language
Kalinago | |
---|---|
Igneri | |
Kalhíphona | |
Native to | Arawakan
|
Language codes | |
ISO 639-3 | crb |
crb | |
Glottolog | isla1278 |
Iñeri (Kalinago) among other Pre-Columbian languages of the Antilles |
The Kalinago language, also known as Igneri (Iñeri, Inyeri, etc.), was an
Despite its name, Kalinago was not closely related to the
History
At the time of European contact, the
Modern scholars have proposed several hypotheses accounting for the prevalence of an Arawak language among the Kalinago. Scholars such as Irving Rouse suggested that Caribs from South America conquered the Igneri but did not displace them, and took on their language over time.[1] Others doubt there was an invasion at all. Sued Badillo proposed that Igneri living in the Lesser Antilles adopted the "Carib" identity due to their close economic and political ties with the rising mainland Carib polity in the 16th century.[2] In any event, the fact that the Kalinago' language evidently derived from a pre-existing Arawakan variety has led some linguists to term it "Igneri". It appears to have been as distinct from Taíno as from mainland Arawak varieties.[1]
During the period of French colonization in the 17th century, and possibly earlier, male Kalinago used a Cariban-based pidgin in addition to the Arawakan Kalinago language. The pidgin was evidently similar to one used by mainland Caribs to communicate with their Arawak neighbors. Berend J. Hoff and Douglas Taylor hypothesized that it dated to the time of the Carib expansion through the islands, and that males maintained it to emphasize their origins.[3] However, scholars who doubt the existence of a Carib invasion suggest this pidgin was a later development acquired by contact with indigenous peoples of the mainland.[2]
Phonology
Vowels
Front | Central | Back | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
plain | nasal | plain | nasal | plain | nasal | |
Close | i | ĩ | ɨ | ɨ̃ | u | ũ |
Mid | e | ẽ | o | õ | ||
Open | a | ã |
Consonants
Kalinago has 15 consonants.
Labial | Alveolar | Palatal | Velar | Glottal | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
plain | asp. | |||||
Stop
|
p | t
|
k | |||
Fricative | ɸ | s | ɕ | x | h | |
Nasal | m | n
|
nʰ | ɲ | ||
Approximant | w | l
|
j | |||
Flap
|
ɾ |
References
- ^ ISBN 0300051816. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
- ^ ISBN 0252073843. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
- ISBN 0300051816. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
- ^ Josephs, Keisha M. (2019). A Descriptive Grammar of Kalinago. University of Arizona.